Active lifestyles necessitate that those who engage in them constantly be on the go. Good health demands that those participating in such active living imbibe a large quantity of liquids, such as water and other well-known sports drinks. Being on the go, however, often presents the problem of needing to quench one's thirst and yet not having access to a source of liquid refreshment. Accordingly, fluid containers, such as drinking bottles, have been developed to meet such demands of active living and thereby enable those who would not ordinarily have access to liquid refreshment to store, transport and make use of such refreshments at their convenience.
Portable drinking bottles have increased in popularity over the years not only because of increasingly active lifestyles, but also due to environmental concerns with disposable bottles. For example, replacing disposable water bottles with a single beverage container that may be cleaned and refilled many times greatly reduces the amount of waste produced. Fluid containers which can meet the needs of a person's or a family's activities while also being reusable is an increasingly growing market.
Drinking bottles are used by all ages—from children through adults—and in many situations. For example, these bottles are used for travel, recreation, sports, school and everyday activities. Straws or spouts that flip open on a bottle cover are known in the art. Conventional designs involve pulling the tip of the spout upward with one's finger, with the spout pivoting at its lower end where it is attached to the cap. These designs often require two hands to open the bottle—one hand to hold the bottle and the other hand to pull open the spout. Other designs have included rotating covers to fold and enclose a spout, push button actuation in which a spring assembly pops open the spout, or a flange or loop on the spout to assist a user in pulling the spout upward.